Settings - Notifications
Set up automated and customer emails and SMS*
The Notification Settings screen allows you to create any number of Email & SMS notification templates. For each template you create, you can:
Choose which delivery methods it applies to
Choose whether you want it to be sent on an automatic schedule, and if so, how many days before or after the rental start or end date you want it to send.
If you don't activate the automated schedule, you can still manually fire these notifications off to customers quickly, from the Rental Detail screen or the Returns screen.
Notification Form Fields
When creating a new Notification, or editing an existing one, the following fields are available. They are explained below.
Name
A name for the Notification, so that it's easy for you to identify. This is never seen by customers. Give it a name that you'll understand, as this is what you will use to select a notification to send, when sending it manually via the Rental Detail screen or the Returns screen.
Category
A classification for the Notification. This helps us determine which Notification options to show you when sending from a particular function.
For example, when on the Returns screen in Card View, and the rental hasn't been returned yet, the Send a Reminder link will show you a list of Notifications that you've categorised as "Return Reminder / Late Notification".
Once the rental has been set to Returned, it will change to giving you a button to Send an After-Rental Message. Selecting this will show you a list of Notifications that you've categorised as "After-Rental Message / Return Confirmation".
Regardless of your Category selection, all Notifications will be shown as options when you click to send a notification from the Rental Detail screen.
Applies to rentals with these Delivery Methods
Select the Delivery Method(s) the Notification will apply to. For example, you may want to send very different return instructions for your post/shipping customers, versus your return-to-store customers. Selecting options here will ensure the right notifications go to the right customers.
Activate automated schedule for this notification
Tick this if you want this Notification to be sent to rental customers automatically, based on the rental start of end date. If you choose not to tick this, you can still send the Notification to a customer manually, from the Rental Detail screen or the Returns screen.
Notification trigger
For automated sending, choose whether the date/time to send should be based on the rental start date or the rental end date.
Days offset
Select exactly which day to send the automated notification, with respect to the notification trigger above. 0 will send the notification ON that date (rental start or end date) -1 will send it one day prior to that date 1 will send it one day after that date
Send time
The time of day to send the notification, based on the timezone set in Store Settings. The actual notification will be sent within 0 to 20 minutes of this time.
Notification Type
Email or SMS
Email Subject
The subject line of the email notification sent to the customer. Supports Template Tokens.
Notification Template
The main text of the Email or SMS notification template. If you've selected Email, then the notification template field is a rich text editor, where you can apply different formatting and include images into the email body. For SMS, it is plain text only.
SMS Notification Templates are limited to a maximum of 200 characters. Keep in mind that tokens used within the template will make actual SMS messages more than the number of characters used in the template.
Usage charges apply for SMS sent. For tips on keeping your SMS usage costs down, see: SMS Segments and Controlling Cost
Template Tokens
You can use a selection of "tokens" as placeholders within a Notification Template or in the Email Subject, that get replaced by real data from the rental prior to it being sent to the customer.
An example is {{customerFirstName}} - which is replaced with the first name of the customer attached to the rental.
The full list of tokens can be seen within the Notification Settings screen, by clicking the "Show Template Tokens" button beneath the Notification Template field.
Sending Notifications from the Returns Screen
You may want to send some Notifications manually, either as additional reminders to tardy customers, or upon confirmation of returned items (rather than waiting a set number of days from the rental end).
On the Returns screen, if you switch to Card View, the panel on the right side of each rental card will show links to send a message by email or SMS. If the rental status is anything other than Returned, it will give you the option to send your Return Reminder message. Once you set the rental status to Returned, it will change to give you the option to send an After-Rental Message.
Sending Notifications from the Rental Detail Screen
Click into any rental record and at the top will be a Send Notification button. If you click this, then choose either Email or SMS from the dropdown, the popup will show a list of your notification templates of that type that you can select from. Once selected, click Send to fire it off to the customer of that rental.
Most Common Uses for Notifications
Return Reminder
Rental End Date (typically -3 to 0 days)
...reminding customers that their return is due
Rental Start Information
Rental Start Date (typically -5 to -1 days)
...reminding customers their rental is coming up, providing care instructions for the product, providing instructions for faults or issues upon delivery, other marketing opportunities (e.g. upsells, etc)
After-Rental Message
Rental End Date (typically +1 to +7 days), or automated schedule turned off, and send manually from the Returns screen once a rental is marked as Returned.
...thanking customers for their rental, requesting a review, providing an offer on a future rental.
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